


Mechanism Martin

by Deanpala



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast), The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Immortality, Mechanism Martin, Shouldnt need it, The Mechanisms Are Grifter's Bone, but ask to tag, idk what else to say, music is magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28925376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deanpala/pseuds/Deanpala
Summary: Martin is a part of the mechanisms, and it changes a lot
Comments: 27
Kudos: 74
Collections: Mechanisms and Magnus Crossovers that maintain the integrity of mechanisms lore





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yo this is high key inspired by Archive 81 and accidentally made me make a stretching multi podcast uniting lore hit me up if you want to know about it

Martin is starting to realize that one of the most difficult things about his new job is remembering he can’t shoot Jonathan Sims.

It’s not that he hates him, or thinks he deserves to die, it’s simply made his way into his heart over time that when someone is being a bit annoying or a prat, you shoot them.

It doesn’t help that he sounds a bit like Jonny, his main antagonizer on the aurora (honestly him and Marius antagonize EVERYONE for a bit of fun, and the insufferable prick is great fun to shoot if not for the fact he would whine for weeks after.)

So it’s not that shooting people is difficult that keeps him from doing anything, he knows how to handle a gun, it’s just reminding himself that murder is a thing that keeps him from shooting Jon.

Prentiss is a different story altogether, and he feels like a coward for it.

The thing is though, she’s already full of holes, and he doesn’t know how much adding another one would change things, and he knows the song that would make her rip herself apart, but he can’t get close enough to sing it without risking infection himself, and as someone who doesn’t die he doesn’t want to risk that being a permanent state.

It’s horrendous. He hasn’t been properly bored in over a century, and now he has to have two weeks of doing nothing.

The turn about Jon has is.... interesting. 

When Jon had been a prick to him before, it was adorable in the same way a cat puffing up it’s fur is, because ultimately Jon was harmless.

But now that he’s choosing to soften at the edges? That he worries? 

He is NOT going to be like Marius he tells himself. He is NOT. Falling in love with a mortal (or in general really) was ill advised and there was no way they wouldn’t tease him about it for the rest of eternity if he did, which he ISNT.

Fuck.

They’re never going to let him live this down.


	2. Chapter 2

The biggest difference between when Prentiss trapped him in his home and now, is that he knows there’s a way to get rid of the worms. He still doesn’t want to risk giving himself away to everyone else yet, but he knows he can deal with her.

And then Tim shows up.

“Shit,” he hisses, and he knows he has to make a move. The others can’t live out there. 

“Is the room sound proof?” He asks.

“Wh-“

“I said is the room sound proof?!?”

“Yes I’m- why-“

“Great,” he says, and leaves it at that, darting out.  
——————————-

Tim is not expecting to be run over when he comes back. 

He is expecting even less for Martin to grab him by the shoulder and say “Tim, you need to run, and, and this is important, cover your ears and sing as loud as you can ok?”

“What?” He asks confused, and straining against Martin’s hand so he can properly get away from the worms. He’s surprisingly strong.

“Tim. I’m serious, the covering your ears and singing is more important than the running away itself. Promise me you’ll do it.”

“I’m- okay fine, Christ Martin the worms-“ 

“I’ll take care of them don’t worry about it.”

Then, Martin let’s go of him, and he runs.

———————-

The tune is a simple one. There are no words, no harmonies, although on occasion, if you’re very careful, those can be added. Just a very short, precise humming, before suddenly, the worms are attacking themselves and Prentiss.

She’s gone in minutes.

Sasha is the first one to open the door out.

“Martin, what the hell was that.”

“It’s.... complicated.”

Jon gives him a look.

“Statement. Now.”

“There is literally no way you’ll believe me.” 

“I don’t care.”

“Right then.... I’m not going to give you another statement, but I will tell you my story. I guess just.... someone should get Tim before I start.”

———————————

“Ok, where do you need me to start.”

“What did you do to Prentiss?” Jon asks.

“I sang at her and her worms killed her.”

“And why did I need to sing to myself?”

“Because the music would’ve made you attack anyone in the vicinity.”

“....... ok” Sasha says “on second thought, maybe start earlier than that.”

Martin let’s out a world weary sigh.

“So I’m part of a musical band of immortal space pirates.”

“Martin,” Jon says sternly “take this seriously.”

“I am! I’m being genuine it’s- it’s a really long story that I don’t want to get into but essentially I’m not a human, I grew up on a different planet a few centuries ago and eventually Doctor Carmilla found me and gave me my mechanism, which is the thing that makes me immortal. You saw it once by accident Jon, it’s my leg.”

“I thought that was just a prosthetic.” He says weakly.

“I mean, she did cut off the original one granted, but no.”

“So wait,” Sasha says “what does that have to do with the song thing?”

“Ok so don’t get mad but uuuuhhhhh.... you remember the grifters bone statement?”

“You didn’t!” Tim says.

“I.... sat out on that one yeah, me and Brian don’t really go in for the whole indiscriminate murder thing ourselves, but it was our band, and you pick up a few things along the way. We’ve discovered over time that different songs, always rather simple repetitive tunes that don’t need words, can do all kinds of things. Brian knows some that help you see the future and make others feel lonely, but he’s refused to teach anyone, rightly so. Ashes and Tim though know the, the violence one I used against prentiss pretty well though, and insisted on making sure everyone knew it.”

“Can you teach me?” Tim asks, with a gleam in his eye that Martin unfortunately recognizes well from gun powder Tim.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because it kills everyone who hears it and isn’t singing it.”

“Hang on,” Jon says “if it kills everyone how did you learn it.”

“Oh simple. I just died. After that, the incentive is pretty high to make sure you memorize it the first time.”

“Right,” he says, looking sick.

“Do you have any proof of any of this?” Sasha asks.

“I mean. Prentiss being dead. And I could shoot myself or something.”

Now Sasha is the one giving him a look he doesn’t like, far too much like Raphaella. Oh well, he’s been asked to do far worse than die for her before, it would hardly be an inconvenience.

“Please don’t,” Jon says in a panicked fashion, and Martin shrugs. Hardly matters to him either way.

“So wait, if you have all of space, why are you here and where’s your crew? Because I’m telling you, if I was a space pirate a stuffy old archive is not where I would spend my time,” Tim says.

“We were doing a performance- no, don’t look at me like that our songs don’t usually kill people, only the ones we want to and we have a modest following on this planet- and the idiots forgot me. Happens frequently enough, someone gets left behind a few decades or centuries, and I figured a place full of supernatural horrors might be some more entertainment than I could find anywhere else.”

“Wait-“ Jon says “you’re here, taking in horrible stories, because you’re what, bored?”

“I mean, I’m not here for the stories, I can read any horror collection else where, but yeah basically. Considering today, it’s clearly working. Wasn’t boring, wouldn’t mind passing a few years this way.”

“People have DIED” Tim hisses “and you’re talking about it like it’s some sort of game?!?!”

“Well. I guess. I’m not responsible for their deaths or anything, but yeah? Like, I do feel for you, but you pass enough centuries with enough people, and you still do what you can to help but they all just sort of become interchangeable talking dust. Ten years, a hundred, it’s all the same to me, mortals are going to die either way so there’s no point in getting broken up about it. You just do what you can to yourself and them happy in the short term, and then you move on.”

“And what about us?” Sasha asks.

Martin genuinely thinks it over for a minute, and looks at each of them, eyes lingering on Jon.

“I think..... I think that when you die, I won’t guilt myself into feeling sad that you’re gone, because I’ll actually genuinely miss you, and wish I could’ve gone with you. In fact, I think if the crew comes back for me while you’re all still alive, I won’t go with them until you pass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did grifters bone statement take place season one? No clue. Do I care? No.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has two statements and paints Martin in a not great mechanisms light? But also gives backstory so. Also I hope this is still in character fuck.

The other people in the archives tries to largely act like nothings changed, like they don’t know Martin is an immortal alien.

Things must come to a head however, when a statement giver comes in and SHRIEKS upon seeing Martin.

He immediately rushes up to zhe.

“Whoa, hey, calm down, no one else is here just me, I won’t tell anyone I saw you.”

“You know this person?” Sasha asks.

“Are you okay? What’d he do to you?” Tim asks.

Martin frowns.

“I didn’t do anything thank you very much. I promise you’re safe here, I’ll even leave the room if you ask okay?”

Zhe looks at Martin nervously but backs away and nods.

“Are you here to make a statement stowaway?”

“I have a name,” zhe bites out. “And yes. About the kidnapping.”

“You kidnapped them and didn’t even bother to learn their name?” Tim asks incredulously, anger creeping in.

Martin ignores Tim, mostly out of not knowing how to answer, but partially to focus his attention on making the stowaway more comfortable.

“Riiiight. Okay, I just- won’t talk unless you want me too, does that work for you?”

“Yes,” zhe says, looks slightly more comfortable at this prospect.

All three of them sit in Jon’s office when zhe gives zer statement.

“Statement of Reese Fido regarding.....”

“My time with grifters bone.”

All eyes snap to Martin for a moment and he shrinks under the scrutiny.

“Statement begins.” 

“I’m not a hipster. I’ve always loved music no one else knows about, and it always felt a bit like a treasure hunt when I found something good, but I didn’t like it because no one knew it, it’s just that the genres I like don’t usually blow up.

Samantha was much the same. She told me her favorite band was playing a gig in this little pub, and with my taste I never get to see anything live.

She seemed surprised when they got upstage, said they introduced themselves differently, used a different name, and then-

They said they were down a band member, and asked for a volunteer from the audience. I’d had a crush on Samantha for awhile, so I didn’t hesitate to volunteer, thinking it might impress her.

I had no idea what I was doing. One of the people handed me a mandolin. I’ve never touched one in my life before that, I always played wind instruments, but it was like I just... knew, suddenly, and I couldn’t stop playing once I had it.

The audience they- they went from just swaying to the music to attacking each other. I don’t know but- it was a blood bath, and at the end of it Samantha was dead. 

They kept me after that, took me to several different planets, and I could never tell ahead of time if they were going to make me hurt people again or if it was going to just be a regular song. They threatened to shoot me if I didn’t play well enough, and I just kept hoping they’d go back to earth eventually, and that I could escape.

Not all of them were the same. Some were nicer than others, three in particular, but the never offered me any real help escaping. Said it’d be more likely that the others would kill me rather than bother with recapturing, so that they wouldn’t risk it. Well, two of them argued that, one of them didn’t seem to know what I was talking about half the time and seemed to think it was some sort of sleep over.

And then at some point they did another show here, and there wasn’t any hassle, they just... let me leave. Said taking in strays wasn’t worth the trouble, like they did it at my request or something.

And now I’m here, giving a statement, and one of them’s here.”

Reese takes in a shaky breath, and the everyone in the room looks a bit pale, besides Martin who is bright red in embarrassment.

“Again, I am so sorry you had to go through that. Can I make you a cup of tea or-“

“I didn’t have to go through it, you could’ve helped me,” zhe snaps “and no, I don’t want any tea.”

There’s a tense silence in the air.

“Right then. Well, it goes without saying that we believe you,” Sasha says “and we fully intended to keep something like this from happening in the future. Right Martin?”

Martin says nothing.

“Martin?”

“I mean. There isn’t really anything I can do to stop them. If I put up any protest they’d just shoot me and do it anyway, and they would have shot you if you had tried to leave, and I wouldn’t just leave you on a random planet centuries from home. I did try to convince them to drop zer back off, but they always just waved me off. Considering the circumstances, I wouldn’t have changed much, but I’m still sorry that it happened.”

“Fat lot of good that did me. If you’re so good then how did you end up with that lot?”

“I’m not- I never claimed to be ‘good’ I mean I try but it’s not really possible for me anymore. I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have but are you serious in wanting to know? Would humanizing me really help you at all?”

“Probably not, but I don’t care. I want to know.”

“Alright. I owe you that at least I suppose.”

He sees the other lean in a bit as he goes to start speaking.

“When I was young, mum got really sick, so I got a job as a servant. The thing about being born on an asteroid is everyone born planet side thinks they’re so much better than you, and you don’t get it as good. Well, my boss was a nobleman, but he was also born on the belt, and he got tired of it and sort of... started a war. Anyway, we fell in love at someone point and I helped him out, and we lost in the end. We escaped luckily, but we got stranded on this planet where the locals sort of... brainwashed us I guess? The food had something wrong with it, and we all just... stopped caring about anything at all,”

His voice turns brittle “Doctor Carmilla found me there and said she could make the.... apathy isn’t quiet the right word, we were happier than all that, but she said she could make it last forever, and so I let her do whatever she wanted, and she turned around and cut me into pieces. It almost felt like she had ripped my soul up and set it on fire, and at the end of it, I couldn’t fade away again, she’d lied. The only sane one on a planet full of hazy minded half people, and I couldn’t die to get out of it. Hereward had left some notes before he gave in, he always was strong so it’s not surprising he lasted the longest and I- I’d left him to do it alone, and then I couldn’t bring him out of it again. I had to stay there like that for fifty years before I found a way off. Eventually the crew found me and well... the rest is history really. They were the only permanent people in my life. That doesn’t excuse anything any of us have done of course, but they’re all I have.”

“You were right,” Reese says bitterly “it didn’t help. Are there any other evil aliens here?”

He thinks briefly of the entities, but figures those probably don’t count.

“No, I don’t think so. As far as I know most species can’t time travel, and earth isn’t well known about outside of ‘oh that mess’ and that’s only by the most dedicated of astrologists.”

“Good. I don’t want to see any more.”

He doesn’t really know what to say to that, but it turns out he doesn’t have to think of anything, because zhe turns around and walks out.

“Well.” Sasha says blankly “that’s fucked up.”

Tim seethes a bit, and they try and ignore him for the next month.

He can’t say he blames them, and it isn’t like a month is long enough for him to even register, but it still hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Martin’s backstory comes from hereward the wake and the lotus eaters


	4. Chapter 4

Jon, as well as the others, are still acting like spooked animals around him a bit, and it’s very unpleasant. Martin only has so long with them, he wants it to be good.

Jon is a comfort to him still though, because of his curiosity. Everyday, he grills him for a little story, which he doesn’t mind giving at all. Comes with the job really.

Still. It is rather particular that he’s answering all the questions.

“If they aren’t in water, how do the octokittens move? From what you said it sounds like you all walk around as if there’s gravity, but somehow the creatures with tentacles for legs can move fast enough to kill people, so how does the gravity work in-“

Martin cuts him off by casually grabbing Jon by the sides and lifting him up, pressing his chest to Martin’s ear.

Jon of course, squirms and flails and yelps, letting out protests.

“Put me down this instant or-“

“Shhh,” Martin says, squeezing him waist.

Jon goes dead silent as Martin listens to his heart.

“Huh. Jon, can you do me a favor and ask me a question?”

“Yes, what the hell are you doing?”

“Listening to your heart,” he says, ear still on Jon’s chest, and then drops him back down and gives him a once over.

“Did you know you were doing that?”

“Doing what? What is it?”

“When you asked me your question your heart sounded different. It was humming a Song, knowledge one if I had to guess based off of results.”

“I’m- what? No that isn’t- hearts don’t sing Martin, and no one ever taught me any your ‘songs’”

Martin frowns at this.

“Normally I’d disagree, many people just happen to have Songs become a part of them, and it isn’t too odd for your heart to be humming it behind the beating, but the fact that you didn’t know about it, and that it’s not constant is... strange. Usually that sort of thing just sticks around in you and changes you, like Prentiss, but yours only did it when you asked a question.”

Jon is, admittedly, loosing it a bit at this concept.

“Is there- is that something I need to be concerned about?”

“Probably not? I mean, it’s just knowing, so it’s not like you’re going to accidentally massacre anyone or anything, but I guess I’d recommend trying to identify when you’re doing it at the very least.”

Jon anxiously starts wringing his hands.

“Do you have any idea um... how? This is happening?”

“Not particularly. In my experience, it’s not something you can easily miss. Either something big and enough crazy happens that you’re molded into such a way that it fits, which I suppose makes sense considering that well. It does certainly suit you. Or, someone forcibly puts it in you somehow, which is a difficult thing to do. I’ll tell you if I have any crazy revelations though.”

“Right,” Jon says, and his anxiety has not gone down one bit.


	5. Chapter 5

Tim frantically calls for an emergency meeting after listening to one of Gertrude’s old statements.

“Guys,” he says “a bunch of evil clowns are planning on ending the world, we need to do something.”

There is much confusion over this statement, so Tim explains the details of the unknowing that he heard on the tape, and everyone starts getting restless.

Most everyone anyway. Martin’s mainly annoyed.

“Wait wait wait, hold on. The world is NOT going to end.”

“What do you MEAN it’s not going to end,” Tim complains “didn’t you hear a word I said?”

“Yeah, but ok. I was there when the world, well, entire galaxy honestly, ended and it was NOT a fun time. That’s not for millions more years.”

“When?” Jon asks anxiously.

“Oh, I don’t know, don’t really pay attention to dates when we travel so much, not like it matters to us now does it?”

“Hold on then,” Sasha says “if you didn’t pay attention how do you know it’s not soon.”

Martin sighs and starts talking probably a bit more condescending then he means to to them.

“Because you all can still die? Earth hasn’t been colonized yet much less ruled by evil space queen? I mean for heavens sake, you haven’t even lost your moon yet.”

“I’m sorry,” Jon sputters “we haven’t WHAT?!?”

“Long story. Basically, London and the moon go to war and one of my crew mates blew it up while he was still mortal. Wasn’t there for it, but it sounded interesting.”

“What the fuck,” Sasha says.

“Sorry, did you say we’ll be colonized and unable to die?”

“Yeah. Happens a few centuries before universe ends, some snobby rich people use like the lifespans of children to live longer, and then when everyone whose not rich dies their brains get used to power a propaganda machine.”

They don’t really know what to say to that.

Tim interestingly enough, ignores all of it in favor for being really sad.

“So the world ISN’T ending.”

“No. Is that a problem or....”

“A little? I was hoping to get you on board with helping me kill these things that killed my brother. I mean I’m going to do it either way but figured immortal alien might be good help.”

“Oh is that all? Just some revenge and like, murder? Im down.”

“Really?” Tim asks brightening up.

“Tim. Do you have ANY idea how boring it is on earth? I am DYING to kill something are you kidding?”

“I’m- yeah alright then! Thanks!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head the mechs album orders go like this: once upon a time in space, as king cole is made semi immortal and gepeto is known for his experiments on children. This feeds into Ulysses dies at dawn. Earth is colonized and the tech used to create olympians and riddle of the Sphinx. The colonizers were ancestors of Odin as there is a rebellion against Odin on “new midgaurd” midgaurd in Norse mythology being earth. And high noon of course being last and as a result of bifrost since they lost contact with their home, via it being destroyed.


End file.
